The KZN Coastline NORTH TO SOUTH
Durban Country Club
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
The KZN Coastline
STANGER SALT ROCK
NORTH TO SOUTH From Zinkwazi Beach in the north to Umtamvuna River in the south, the KZN coastline is home to some 20 golf courses. World class golf estates, the iconic Durban Country Club, a championship golf course situated in the middle of a horse racing track and traditional country clubs are all in the mix.
BALLITO
MARGATE
PORT EDWARD
Royal Durban GC Bluff National GC
Amanzimtoti CC Umkomaas GC Scottburgh GC Selborne Park GE Umdoni Park GC
Port Shepstone GC Margate CC Soutbroom GC San Lameer GC Port Edward CC Wild Coast CC
56
Mt. Edgecombe CC Beachwood GC Durban CC
DURBAN
PENNINGTON
PORT SHEPSTONE
Simbithi GC Umhlali CC Zimbali CC
UMHLANGA
Each offers remarkably good value for money and as one would expect from one of South Africa’s top tourist destinations – accommodation, dining and other activities are top notch and in abundance.
Princes Grant GC
www.sagolftrader.co.za
We hope that you make use of this feature to plan your next golfing vacation, should you have any questions please feel free to contact SA Golf Trader directly and we will gladly assist .
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
41 57
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
58
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
41 59
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
Prince’s Grant
P
upgrade completed
rince’s Grant golf course recently completed an upgrade and this 18-hole championship course must surely rate as one of the best in South Africa. Boasting stunning natural scenery and excellent conditioning, the course is a “must-play” for golfers of all abilities.
A links parkland layout, designed and constructed by Peter Matkovich, it is laid out over four ridgelines overlooking the Indian Ocean. The Prince’s Grant course was named Best Golf Development in South Africa by the World Property Awards. A well-appointed Pro Shop and welcoming halfway house complete Prince’s Grant’s superior golf offering. (Click HERE for Q&A’s with Hilton Anderson, Golf Director at Prince’s Grant Golf Estate) We would like to thank Renault Pinetown for providing us with the magnificent Renault Duster 4x4 for the duration of our KZN coastline, road trip. We were privileged to be able to take the vehicle onto both the Wild Coast and San Lameer golf courses for photographic purposes.
Dealer principle - Gary Monteiro with Neville (SA Golf Trader)
60
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
41 61
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
62
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
Cane Driving range
D
riving ranges are an essential way of allowing people into the game of golf, so it was with great pleasure that we came upon the Cane Range situated at Collisheen Estate next door to Sugar Rush Park in Ballito. Bustling with school children taking lessons from Sunshine Tour professional Warren Abery, on the day that we visited, Cane Range is a down to earth practice facility that is a welcome addition to this neck of the woods.
March | April 2021
With plenty of bays (all synthetic grass at the moment, real grass bays are in the pipeline) and a delightful coffee shop, Cane Range is the ideal place to take the family on the weekend.
There are golfers of all abilities and you can hit balls without worrying that someone may be “judging” your swing. Perfect for those who are new to the game.
www.sagolftrader.co.za
41 63
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
64
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
O
Umhlali Country Club
nly 20 minutes North of Durban, bordering the town of Ballito lies Umhlali Country Club, here you will find a scenic undulating golf course in a tropical garden setting, a true gem of the Dolphin Coast.
The club also has five top notch tennis courts, three of which are floodlit, two squash courts, two AA rated bowls greens one with flood lights for some fun evening bowls and a full driving range with a chipping green, practice putting green and a bunker to practice some sandy shots.
The eighteen-hole course was designed by Peter Matkovich and is characteristically varied, providing a fantastic golfing test over the relatively short distance.
With a long history on the North coast, Umhlali Country Club continues to grow from strength to strength.
Indigenous flora and fauna are plentiful here too and the course has simply been sculpted around the inherent beauty of the land. To the east lies the Indian Ocean and to the West, are rolling hills.
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
41 65
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
66
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
67
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
Du rban Country Club
T
owards the end of the First World War serious consideration was first given to the establishment of a Country Club in Durban. Country clubs were beginning to proliferate in other parts of South Africa and as Durban was already achieving a reputation as the leading seaside resort, it seemed imperative that such an amenity be attained – for residents and visitors alike.
Pressure was also mounting for the establishment of a second golf course in the town due to the problems facing the Durban Golf Club (now Royal Durban). The Durban Golf Club situated on a low-lying swamp at Greyville, with the race track running around it, was repeatedly subject to flooding, which often cancelled out all golf. A final straw was when floods made this course virtually unplayable for the 1920 South African Golf Championships and it was feared that
68
Durban would not be asked to host the event again in 1924.
George Waterman accepted the challenge of building the course and was assisted in this endeavour by fellow professional golfer Laurie Waters – a four times winner of the South African Open. The difficulties these men faced were immense. All earth-moving had to be done manually. Giant sand dunes were flattened, dense bush and trees chopped down and carted away. Durban Country Club was officially opened on December 9, 1922. After the Mayoress had formally declared the golf course open, course designer George Waterman had the privilege of driving the first ball down the fairway of what is now one of the most famous golf courses in the world.
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
Durban Country Club is situated in the heart of Durban and is no stranger in the golfing world.Enriched with history, the golf course saw Gary Player’s first South African Open success in 1956 with a score of 286. He returned in 1969 (having won the title another five times in the interim) to score a 273, which included a then record round of 64 (the course record now is 62, held by John Bland). In 1998 Ernie Els won his third South African Open at the club, opening with a 64 that left him in a position of dominance that he was not to relinquish. The course has hosted 17 South African Opens in total, more than any other club in South Africa, and was the proud host of the Centenary SA Open in 2010. 2020 was a year for change and going in to 2021 the Durban Country Club Team prepares for 2022 and 2023. A historical milestone for Durban Country Club as the Clubhouse (2022) and the Golf Course (2023) celebrate their Centenary Years! DCC has recently been nominated as candidate for the Global ward as one of the world’s great golf courses 2021. Tel: +27 31 313 1777 |Pro Shop: +27 31 313 1716 www.durbancountryclub.co.za
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
69
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
70
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
71
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
South Africa’s fI rst Residential Golf Estate
I
n the mid-1900s, the area where the Selborne Golf Estate is situated today was some eighty hectares large and was held by Lord Selborne, the Secretary for the Colonies.
The Selborne homestead, or main hotel manor house as we know it today, was built and completed in 1954 by Vernon Crookes as the official residence of the M.D of Reynolds Brothers Ltd, the company that operated the local Sezela sugar mill. Only the finest materials were used in the construction of the building, and the entire joinery together with the oak paneling, window panes and flooring was imported from England. After Mr. Crookes retired in 1964 he acquired the manor house together with 80 hectares of gracious estate for his personal use and named it Selborne Park. The whippet that forms the current estate logo is derived from the Lord Selborne family crest. During 1979, the magnificent Selborne Park estate, owned by the widow of the sugar magnate Vernon Crookes, came up for sale and Denis Barker bought the estate for his family home and the running of his Fayden Jersey Stud farm. In 1982 he led the South African delegation to the World Jersey Cattle Conference in Canada, after which they toured the USA. While visiting friends in Waterloo, Iowa he played golf at a golf housing estate for the first time which inspired his vision to create Selborne.
Early photo of the halfway house Upon his return to South Africa, he began to transform his farm into a golfing residential estate. In 1985 Denis’ dream of a luxury golfing complex at Selborne started to become a reality. In May 1987 the course was opened for play, and the very first residential golf estate in South Africa was born. Old converted railway carriages were used as the first change rooms and halfway house. The homestead turned into a lodge with seven bedrooms and in due course a new clubhouse was built. The Golf Committee used the lodge, the current hotel, as the members club house, which operated until January 1989, when the new Club House was completed.
72
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
73
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
74
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
75
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
San Lameer T
- The Go od Life
he San Lameer golf course and club house was completed and officially opened on 7 November 1992 by Dr D.J. de Villiers, Minister of Public Enterprises.
Greens of lush grass, surrounded by water or barracked by rocky outcrops or bold sweeping fairways, have earned San Lameer a rating as one of the top courses in the country.
The 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Peter Matkovich and Dale Hayes, is in the heart of a large nature conservation area. The course is sculpted around the last wetland forest on the South Coast to avoid areas of sensitive vegetation and utilize indigenous plants and shrubs in the natural features. With the shaping of the course many trees were removed of which 85% were successfully replanted.
76
The course also provides golfing enthusiasts with a natural challenge through vast clearings, forests and wetlands, with the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing alongside. One of the most prominent challenges of the golf course, aside from its varying gradients and difficult lies, is to avoid getting distracted by the striking views!
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
77
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
78
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
79
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
Wild Coast Sun Country Club
H
ome to a challenging 18-hole championship golf course that stretches along the expansive Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape, the Wild Coast Sun Country Club forms part of the South African PGA circuit. With its par-70 card rating, the course boasts magnificent ocean views and magnificently curated fairways and greens. Opened in 1983, many golfers insist that this coastal course is one of the most beautiful golfing ranges in South Africa. However, the course offers more than just pretty fairways and well-kept greens. The course’s architect, Robert Trent Jones Jnr, made every effort to utilise the natural topography and geography of the region to its fullest. The result? A one-of-a-kind course that
80
blends in with its natural surrounds. Famed for being one of the top golf courses in South Africa, the Wild Coast Sun golf course extends over rugged terrain along the Indian Ocean. Creating a dramatic golfing experience, this breathtaking golf course in Port Edward is played over hills, ravines, rivers, dams and waterfalls making it a challenge for professionals and amateurs alike. Right from the opening hole, which sweeps down towards a lagoon, to the 18th with the Indian Ocean as its backdrop, golfing at Wild Coast Sun is an unforgettable experience and with its close proximity to Durban, the Wild Coast Sun is the ideal location for golfing holidays along the KZN coastline.
www.sagolftrader.co.za
March | April 2021
S p e c i a l F e at u r e - T h e K Z N co a s t l i n e
March | April 2021
www.sagolftrader.co.za
81